Major Colorado storm brings snow to southern Minnesota Monday

The big national weather story this weekend is the major Colorado snow event. Part of that storm may dump snow in southern Minnesota Monday.

Major Colorado low

A deep and slow-moving low-pressure system will dump heavy wet snow in Colorado this weekend. NOAA’s GFS model captures the giant spinning low.

The system will tap moisture from the Gulf of Mexico region and wrap it around the system. That will enhance snowfall totals as the moisture is wrung out over the Rockies and Front Range.

Snow by the foot

Because this potent storm is moving slowly, it will dump snow by the foot. Check out the prolific forecast snowfall totals this weekend from the Denver National Weather Service office.

Drought buster?

Most of Colorado is in severe to exceptional drought.

Two to three feet of snow means two to three inches of water equivalent for many locations. That may not end Colorado’s drought, but it will help a lot by boosting snowpack and streamflows.

Southern Minnesota snow Monday?

The northern edge of the Colorado system will likely bring heavy wet snow to southern Minnesota Monday. Rain and snow should move into southwest Minnesota late Sunday night. The heaviest snow will likely fall along the I-90 corridor Monday. The northern edge of the system could graze the Twin Cities with snow Monday.

NOAA’s GFS model shows the trend.

Significant snow for southern Minnesota?

An early read of snowfall totals for Monday favors potentially significant snow from the Minnesota River to the Interstate 90 corridor.

If the current storm track holds, the Twin Cities would be on the northern edge of snow Monday. If it moves further north, that could boost potential snowfall totals in the Twin Cities.

Stay tuned for possible forecast changes this weekend.